Matthew Butte has started his first year as Columbia Adventist Academy principal. But his face is not new to staff, students, parents or community.
Butte served CAA for the last 11 years as chaplain and Campus Ministries director. The last two years, he also added vice principal to his title. Under his leadership, CAA has become known as a student-led school with a positive spiritual atmosphere, and a place emphasizing community service. Butte believes students should take ownership of their school, making it what they dream it can be. These beliefs and talents are handy in his new position...students continue to be utilized in every aspect of campus life.
Butte has a theology degree from Newbold College, a degree in religious education from King's College, London, and a master's in education from Boston College. This is his 13th year away from his home country of Great Britain. He and his wife Michelle have three children: 5-year-old twins and a baby boy.
Taking Butte's previous positions of chaplain and campus ministries director is J. B. McMillen. McMillen comes from Andrews University where he served as the chaplain of outreach while earning his master's degree in Youth Ministry. Before that, McMillen served for five years as assistant boys' dean at Blue Mountain Academy in Pennsylvania. He is glad to be working in an academy again.
Greg Hurlbert joins the teaching staff in the math and science departments. Hurlbert graduated from CAA in 1995, but comes most recently from Auburn Adventist Academy where he has been for the last eight years. Hurlbert graduated from Walla Walla University in 2000, and also earned his master's in math from Central Washington University. His research project for that degree included smart boards and technology in the classroom. His knowledge is proving useful as new classroom technology plans our underway for the new administration building. CAA students are already enjoying Hurlbert's humor as he teaches physical science, physics, algebra II and pre-calculus.
Penny (Enneberg) Smith joins the CAA staff part-time, teaching English. Smith is a Portland native and an alumnus of PAA. She has her master's in education from Pacific Union College, and has used her experience to teach in a variety of situations, including conversational English in Kathmandu, Nepal, professor of education at Spicer Memorial College in Pune, India, and teacher of a summer language program for Chinese students. She and her husband, Michael, have two children who attend CAA.
Matthew Butte, new principal at Columbia Adventist Academy, stands in the shadow of the now-in-construction administration building.
Columbia Adventist Academy's new staff for 2008–2009 from left are: Greg Hurlbert, J.B. McMillen and Matthew Butte. Not pictured: Penny Smith.
